RS

MEMBER DIARY

There is a time to choose

At some point there comes a time to chose. Do we want to support the GOP in trying to win the House, Senate, and the White House, or do we want to support the Democrats. If the choice is that it doesn’t matter, that is also an option.

What we need to realize, however, is that in any battle an election season is fought as a team. A party does not win, and conservatives do not win if our strategy is a circular firing squad. Conservatives win when conservative leaders build winning coalitions that get the votes needed to win power. Conservatives lose when Democrats and liberals get power.

The difference between a moderate and a conservative Republican is small. The difference between a liberal Democrat and a conservative Democrat is small. If we remember all Republicans voted against Obamacare, and all Democrats voted for it.

Now we are faced with a choice. Many are choosing to attack Republicans who are solid conservatives, but less conservative than others. In primary after primary, we are spending millions of dollars to determine which conservative we want to support. This is counter productive. In 2010 it cost us 2 states: Nevada and Rhode Deleware. In 2012 it could easily cost us the House and/or Senate.

When we start attacking center-right Republican House members and Senators we end up sending a public signal to moderates that they do not fit in the party. This drives those voters away. This loses us votes. The GOP has been in a rapid decline over the last 2 years. We need to come to terms that we either work as a team, or we lose.

I am asking my fellow conservatives to please stop their attacks on elected Republican leaders. There is no alternative that helps the conservative movement.

Removing Specter is what passed Obamacare. If Spector was polling well, he would not have switched parties and would not have been the deciding vote for Obamacare.

The Tomney folks are the folks who’s actions cased Obamacare to be law. That is a simple fact. Because we refused to accept Spector as acceptably conservative, he left the GOP to keep his seat and was the final vote to pass Obamacare.

Think before you act. Stop it with the attacks on elected, sitting, conservatives. Efforts to get rid of Lugar and Hatch are counterproductive and a waste of energy. Focus on getting rid of Democrats, not Republicans.